1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a gate valve, and more specifically to a gate valve having an inflatable seal for sealing the openings between chambers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gate valves are often used to seal or isolate separate environments in vacuum processing systems. However, conventional gate valve designs are complex, expensive and/or prone to failure if not precisely manufactured and assembled. Additionally, conventional gate valves may further leak if the valve housings do not remain virtually distortion-free during use.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved gate valve.